Physician wants conviction in ‘Critter Man’ death overturned

Former Montgomery physician has been convicted of capital murder in the death of Ralph “Skip” McNeil, also known as the Critter Man. Defense attorneys are seeking to have the verdict overturned.
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Defense attorneys for a former Montgomery physician convicted of capital murder in August began arguments before a judge Tuesday to have the verdict set aside or dismissed.

The defense called several witnesses during a Tuesday hearing, including the lead prosecutor in the case.

David Nash was convicted of soliciting the murder for hire of Ralph “Skip” McNeil, a well-known trapper also known as the Critter Man, in 2011.

His defense attorneys are arguing there was juror misconduct during the trial and that the prosecution adopted opposing positions when it prosecuted Nash and when it prosecuted other defendants in the case.

Defense attorneys and prosecutors will return today to continue arguments in the case before Presiding Circuit Court Judge Charles Price.

Nash had been scheduled to be sentenced on the capital murder conviction, but that has been delayed as defense attorneys argue in support of motions they filed to void the conviction.

If the defense attorneys’ motions were to fail, Nash would be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Nash was charged in McNeil’s murder along with Serena English and cousins Jeremy and Kindall Riley.

English and Jeremy and Kindall Riley all have pleaded guilty.

Defense attorney Susan James is seeking to establish that a juror had undisclosed family and other connections in common with Jeremy and Kindall Riley.

She also is arguing that when jurors were being chosen, another juror who ended up serving had failed to disclose past criminal charges against her.

Fellow defense attorney Jeff Duffey is arguing that the prosecution obtained guilty pleas from Jeremy and Kindall Riley based on the idea that the killing was a robbery gone bad, not the murder for hire Nash was convicted of.

Duffey is arguing that judicial rules forbid the prosecution from taking those opposing positions and has filed a motion to have the verdict set aside.

Deputy District Attorney Kenney Gibbs, the lead prosecutor in the proceedings for each of the defendants, had to step aside as prosecutor of the case Tuesday in order to testify.